Man in Serious Condition, Mississippi Hotel Fire

The man's name was not immediately available, but Fire Chief Pat Sullivan said he is one of two residents firefighters pulled from the burning building. The other man was laying on the first floor, suffering from smoke inhalation.

A second person was later taken to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport for insulin after losing his medical supply in the fire, said Chris Cirillo of American Medical Response.

The cause of the 1:30 a.m. fire is unknown, but remains under investigation. The blaze may have started in the room occupied by the man with serious injuries, he said.

AMR used a bus to take displaced residents to a Head Start building on Rippy Road for emergency shelter. The American Red Cross is working to find housing for them.

Investigators are talking with the residents while trying to piece together what happened.

Sullivan said some residents were escaping through windows and the roof when firefighters arrived.

Will's Hotel has been a downtown landmark for more than 20 years. The dark wood-frame building on U.S. 49 rented rooms by the week or the month.